Checklist of relevant ICF categories for speech and language development

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Early speech and language development is crucial for overall child development.
• Understanding the factors influencing this development is essential for effective intervention.
• The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a framework for assessing these factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a checklist of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) categories relevant to speech and language development in preschool children.
• To gather perceptions from both parents and speech therapists on the importance of these ICF categories.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted with 100 parents and 57 speech therapists using a questionnaire with 199 ICF categories.
• Participants rated the importance of each category (indispensable, important, unimportant).
• Statistical analyses including descriptive statistics, sum, cluster/K-means, and Mann-Whitney tests were performed.

Main Results:

• A common list of 72 influential ICF categories was identified, encompassing body functions (40%), activities and participation (49.29%), and environmental factors (13.20%).
• Speech therapists prioritized body function categories, while parents emphasized environmental factors.
• Statistically significant differences in perceived relevance were found between the groups for 58.33% of the selected categories.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive checklist for assessing speech and language development in preschool children was successfully created.
• The checklist integrates perspectives from both parents and speech therapists on crucial ICF components.
• The findings highlight differing priorities between parents and professionals regarding factors influencing speech and language development.